Two men who live half a km from Arikamedu have taken a special interest in the historical site near their homes.
Building up on this interest further, they formed the Arikamedu Institute of Puducherry to educate school children on the importance of knowing the local history.
Presentations Members of this registered institute have been visiting schools to make presentations on the historical importance of Arikamedu and the significance of preserving the historical spot which was once an ancient Roman trading centre.
Artefacts unearthed from various excavations are stored in the Puducherry Museum today.
Neglected “Though Arikamedu is located just a few km from Puducherry, it has been lying in a shambles. Not many people are aware of its history,” says Ramesh, a plumbing mechanic who started making presentations with the help of his friend Arun, a biotechnolgy graduate.
“We want to educate children about a historical site that is so close to them.”
Field trips The institute arranges field trips through the ruins in Arikamedu and visits to the museum to see the artefacts.
“We are not full-time researchers but we have collected a lot of material because of our interest in our neighbourhood. Researchers from various universities who come here often request our services as guides,” says Ramesh.
Recently, a session was held at the Raadha English High School, Manavely to mark the International Museum Day.
